Edgbaston | Warwickshire County Cricket Club

EDGBASTON FOR EVERYONE

Using cricket to bring people together

At Edgbaston, we believe cricket has the power to bring people together from every walk of life. Edgbaston for Everyone is our commitment to making the stadium — and the game — safe, welcoming and inclusive for all.

Whether you’re a player wearing the Bear & Ragged Staff, a fan in the stands, or a member of staff, you should always feel part of a community where you belong.

We have made important strides but know there is more to do, and we look forward to sharing our progress and future actions with you.

2025 Action Plan

Our primary focus is to build on the progress we’ve made, set new standards for inclusion, and create opportunities that ensure everyone connected with our club feels represented, valued, and inspired.

Our People

In 2025 we will strengthen our commitment to inclusion by revamping and re-energising both the EDI Steering Group and Inclusion Advisory Board. We will also deliver our first mandatory training course for colleagues and aim to increase workforce diversity in gender, ethnicity, and disability by 2%.

Data Insight and Reporting

We will introduce ethnic pay gap reporting (subject to available data) and implement an internal audit process to track departmental activity. Alongside this, we will focus on increasing the diversity of our audiences across major matchdays, the T20 Blast, and The Hundred compared with 2024.

Involve, Inspire and Celebrate

To celebrate and embrace diversity, we will deliver at least four cultural events for colleagues and our community. We will also host a week of staff-led activities during National Inclusion Week and ensure WCCC or WCF colleagues are represented at every ECB EDI event, sharing learnings with the Steering Group.

Future Ambitions

Our ambition for 2025–2028 is to continually improve, set clear targets, and drive meaningful progress in equity, diversity and inclusion.

Leading County Status

We will continue to proactively engage with experts and seek guidance on best practice to maintain our ECB ‘leading status’ accreditation. This includes regular meetings of our Inclusion Advisory Board and EDI groups, representation at ECB events, and delivering at least two EDI-related training activities each year with strong attendance.

Data and Transparency

Each year we will publish a detailed report on our EDI activities and data-led progress, ensuring accountability across all protected characteristics. This will be supported by a cultural calendar of events, annual pay gap reporting, and year-on-year improvements in both workforce diversity and the diversity of cricket audiences.

Embedding EDI Across Our Work

EDI will remain central to every area of our business and foundation, shaping plans, presentations and decision-making. Our PRIDE values will form part of the appraisal process, we will audit team activity on a quarterly basis, and each annual operating plan will evidence clear and meaningful EDI initiatives.

Our People

In 2024 we took important steps to support, develop and empower our people, making Edgbaston a more inclusive, welcoming and positive place to work and play.

EDI Training: 67 colleagues completed training on inclusion & language (NPS +85).
Disability Confident: Guaranteed interviews introduced; 2 hires made through the scheme.
Colleague Council: New forum established to amplify diverse voices across Club & Foundation.
Wellbeing Support: 1:1 resilience coaching made available to all colleagues.
Inclusive Policies: Employment policies reviewed for accessibility & inclusive language.
PRIDE Values: Embedded into appraisal process – Passion, Respect, Innovation, Diversity, Excellence.
Women’s Cricket: £200k invested in new changing & training facilities for Bears Women.

Data, Insight & Reporting

We are committed to transparency and accountability, using data and reporting to track progress and drive meaningful change.

Gender Pay Gap: Reported voluntarily, closing the gap by 3.5% in 2024; now below the national average at 12.09%
Board Diversity: Achieved targets of 30% female representation and 30% ethnically diverse representation.
Embedding EDI: Built into our Annual Operating Plan and senior leaders’ objectives.
89.6% of colleagues feel their wellbeing is supported.
85.8% of colleagues feel that we live our ‘Diversity’ value.
Game-Wide Census Survey: 93% felt the organisation is inclusive.
Game-Wide Census Survey: 93% believe women’s cricket is valued.
Game-Wide Census Survey: Only 8% witnessed and 3% experienced discriminatory behaviour – significantly lower than other FCCs (27% and 25%).

Innovate, Inspire & Celebrate

In 2024 we continued to celebrate diversity and inspire communities by delivering cultural events and inclusive opportunities.

Welcomed 1,000 school children to watch Central Sparks matches free of charge.
Gave 400 children with Special Educational Needs the chance to enjoy County Championship matches at no cost.
Attracted almost 50,000 fans to Edgbaston for the inaugural World Championship of Legends, featuring teams from Pakistan, West Indies, India, England, South Africa and Australia.
Hosted a Community Partner’s Iftar with 110 guests.
Held a Christmas Service with 100 guests.
Delivered the Vaisakhi Cricket Festival with 50 players.
Celebrated PRIDE Month by marching with the Birmingham Unicorns at PRIDE Birmingham and organising the second LGBT festival at Sutton Coldfield CC.